MISSOULA, Mont.-- Host Montana used a strong start and led wire-to-wire for a 77-45 win in Big Sky Conference play at Dahlberg Arena Thursday evening. UM used a stifling defense to get out to a quick 11-1 start to fuel the victory.

UM (10-4, 4-1 Big Sky) kept UND to just three field goal attempts through the first eight minutes and racked-up a 15-3 advantage at that point. Brianna Williams' jumper ended the drought and a triple on the next trip from Megan Lauck got it back within seven as UND looked to inch back into it.

Madi Buck's jumper at the 9:30 mark of the half sliced the deficit to just six but UND (7-7, 2-3) registered just one more field goal the rest of the opening half as Montana took a 32-14 lead into the break. North Dakota mustered just four field goal makes in the opening 20 minutes and had 13 miscues leading to nine Lady Griz points in the first frame.

With the score 40-21, UM rattled off 10 straight points to take a 29-point lead midway through the second half. Montana got 35 points from its bench in the win, including seven apiece from Carly Selvig, Shanae Gilham and Kellie Cole.

North Dakota was led in scoring by Cy'erra Mills, who scored a season-high 10 points. She was a perfect 5-5 from the free throw line and added two steals and an assist. Freshman Mia Loyd added nine points while Madi Buck had eight points, five rebounds, two assists and a steal for UND.

Katie Baker had 17 and Kenzie De Boer contributed 15 for the Lady Griz (10-4, 4-1), who connected on 31-of-64 (.484) for the game as a team. UM's win, coupled with a loss by the only league unbeaten heading into the night-- Northern Colorado-- put the Lady Griz atop the conference standings along with Montana State at 4-1.

UND continues its four-game road swing with a Saturday afternoon tip at Montana State. Game time is set for 3:0 p.m. Central.

Notes: Mills became the seventh player to lead UND in scoring in a game this season ... UND was without Katie Houdek, who suffered an injury in practice Wednesday ... Allyssa Wall played four minutes off-the-bench for her first appearance since Dec. 8 .. UND's 14-point first half was tied for its lowest scoring half of the season (at Duquesne).